Beliefs about the world and recovery from myocardial infarction

Seventy male, Hindu Myocardial Infarction (MI) patients were interviewed twice--4 to 5 days after their first heart attack (Time 1) and a month after their first heart attack (Time 2). The patients' beliefs about the world (world beliefs), about the causes of the disease (causal beliefs), and about the factors contributing to their recovery (recovery beliefs) were measured. Each category of beliefs was concerned with three domains: karma, God, and just world (or self). The patients' physical and psychological recovery was evaluated. World and recovery beliefs were intercorrelated, but these beliefs were only weakly correlated with causal beliefs. Furthermore, world beliefs and recovery beliefs were positively associated with recovery from MI at both Time 1 and Time 2. Attribution of causality to God was negatively correlated with medical recovery, perceived recovery, and mood state at Time 2. This trend was in the reverse direction for attribution of causality to self.